Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for deploying, retracting, and storing a sail of a sailboat, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for furling, storing, and unfurling a sail of a sailboat.
Description of the Related Art
Sailboats use sails that catch the wind as their primary or sole source of propulsion. Sails that are used on sailboats may include the mainsail, spinnaker, jib, and headsail, or genoa. The sails are supported by one or more masts, a vertical pole or spar that extends upward from the boat. The mainsail is also supported by a boom, a horizontal spar that attaches to the mast to support the bottom part of the mainsail. The sails are attached to various lines that hold them in place and apply tension to the sails, and that support the mast or other spar. The lines, or wires, have different names depending on their location and attachment, including headstay, backstay, shrouds, sheets, halyards, etc.
The mainsail is the primary source of power for the sailboat and is more easily controlled than other sails because it is attached to the mast and the boom. When not in use, sails are folded or rolled, referred to as furled, for storage. The mainsail may be folded and stored below the deck in a sail storage bag when not in use. Alternately, the mainsail may be folded or rolled on the boom and then covered by a sail cover for storage. After removing the storage bag from the mainsail and attaching the lower edge of the mainsail to the boom, if the sail was stored off the boom, the mainsail is raised, or hoisted, for use. After use, the mainsail is lowered and stored, either by flaking (accordion folding) the sail or by rolling. Rolling the mainsail involves the crew rolling the sail until it sits on the boom in a bundle.
Wind conditions may require that a sail be used with a reduced area. Reducing the area of the sail is referred to as reefing. Taking in the reef (reefing in) or taking out the reef to increase or decrease the sail area may be required as conditions change.
Deploying and retracting for the mainsail may require several crew members who are stationed at, or who move about to, different positions on the boat to handle the various tasks associated with raising and lowering the mainsail and with preparing the sail for use or for storage. Similarly, reefing the mainsail may require that the crew move about to various positions on the boat to accomplish the tasks associated with reefing.
It would be an improvement to provide an apparatus and method that simplifies the deploying, reefing, and stowing of a sail on a sailboat, such as the mainsail, jib or mizzen.